Figuring out your future career is often not that easy. You have so many choices and what you want to do when you leave high school often changes while you’re studying. You become aware of new options, and your interests may change.
Few students are really clear about their career goals after college when they’re still freshmen. The sooner you start exploring and figuring out what’s a good career fit for you, the easier it will be to make changes.
Explore different options early on
As a freshman, you don’t have to know with certainty what career you want to pursue. Your first year should give you the opportunity to explore different subjects and see which ones you enjoy most and could possibly lead to a good career.
Start with the subjects you enjoy and excel at. If you find this isn’t working out for you, you may have to change your focus. “How will taking this course help me to achieve my career goals” is one of the hard questions you may need to ask yourself. You don’t want to find yourself well on the way to being an engineer if you feel it isn’t really a good fit for you.
Read essay examples
Academic life is rigorous, and essays are a big part of it. As a student at college or university, you can benefit from reading education and career goals essay examples on StudyMoose. Essay writing can be difficult at first, and reading examples can help you to understand what’s required when you take a class or a course on campus. If you can’t find suitable essay examples, you can get writing help from professional writers who have an education and know how to write quality academic essays.
Develop your soft skills
Soft skills are not specific to one industry or organization. They have become more highly valued in business over time. Critical thinking, communication, collaboration and adaptability are just a few of the soft skills that will not only benefit you at university but in any future career.
Employers often have difficulty filling positions due to a lack of soft skills in candidates. Every group assignment gives you the opportunity to practice your communication and collaboration skills. Every essay gives you an opportunity to develop your critical thinking skills.
Join clubs and societies
Joining clubs and societies can help you with your goals after graduating college. You can find out what it feels like to become a team player. You can have fun meeting others who share your interests, whether it is debating or playing for a sports team.
You may even take on leadership positions that can prepare you for a leadership position in your future career. Clubs and societies also provide a fun way to start developing a network of contacts. You can show future employers your drive and initiative if your resume shows leadership positions you have held at university.
Try out vacation work and internships
Vacation work and internships are one of the best ways to find out if you are really suited to a certain career or not. Sitting in the ivory tower of the university is a very different experience from working at an organization.
If you take on an internship at a local mental institution because you’re pursuing a degree in psychology, you may just discover that you are completely unsuited to the work. There are other options for psychologists that you may need to explore. For example, you may be more suited to research work in the field.
Consider an international exchange semester
There are many benefits to participating in an international exchange program. You will expose yourself to new ways of learning with new peers. This may even lead to unforeseen research or career opportunities. Participating in such a program could also help you to distinguish yourself from other candidates when applying for a job.
International exchanges in your second year for a semester or two are not uncommon. You’ve got nothing to lose by starting your research for programs early. Most universities have an office dedicated to international exchange programs, and staff members can help you to identify suitable opportunities and prepare your application.
Conclusion
Many of the activities you undertake while studying, such as doing internships and participating in international exchange programs, can change your mind about what career you want to pursue. It is nothing new for students to change their minds about their future careers as they grow and develop. If you want to make a change, you need to try and do it as soon as you realize it’s necessary.
